Genesis 23-25: Death Of Sarah; Abraham Haggles For A Burial Place From The Hitites; Ephron Sells Machpelah 400 Shekels Of Silver; Sarah Buried; Abraham’s Servant Swore To Get Isaac A Wife From Abraham’s Kindred, Abraham’s Servant Asked For A Sign, Rebekah Marries Isaac; Abraham’s Second Wife, Keturah; Children Of Keturah; Generations Of Ishmael; Generations Of Isaac; Rebekah’s Twins; Esau And Jacob

Pentateuch by Ralph Levy

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Gen. 23:1 Sarah lived 127 years

:2 she died in Kirjath-arbe (Hebron)

:3 Abraham spoke with the sons of Heth

:4 being a stranger he asked for a burial place to bury Sarah

Heb. 11:9-13 sojourners we are like Abraham

Under Hitite law there are restrictions on foreigners owning Hitite land. Abraham could not simply buy that is why he was asking the sons of Heth to give him a piece of land for a burial place and he was very respectful.

Gen. 23:6 - the Hitites allowed him to bury his dead in the place he chooses.

:8 Abraham asked for Ephron the son of Zohar

:9 That he may give Abraham the cave of Machpelah which Abraham wishes to buy for a burial place.

:10-11 Ephron offers the whole field for free

:13 Abraham insisted on paying

:15 Ephron drops a price of 400 shekels of silver

:16 Abraham weighed the silver and there are witnesses

:17 the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure

Archaeologists discovered Hitite land contracts to really include the trees.

:19 Abraham buried Sarah

:20 Abraham is esteemed highly that he was able to buy a piece of land as a foreigner; ownership was made sure.

Gen. 24:1 Abraham was old, well stricken in age and the LORD had bless Abraham in all things.

:2 he asked his servant (most likely Eleazar) to make a solemn oath by having the servant’s hand under Abraham’s thigh (commentaries say it’s the genitals)

:3 made him swear to not take a Canaanite wife for his son Isaac

Canaanite women will most likely pull Isaac to be pagan.

Ex. 34:16-17

Dt. 7:3-4

Gen. 24:4 Go to my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac

:5 the servant asks practical questions: will she travel away or will Isaac stay in the land where she is?

:6 Abraham warns that Isaac must not go back at all cost

:7 Abraham hearkens back to God’s promise (Gen. 12:7)

:8 Abraham assures his servant that God will send an angel to guide him to take a wife for his son Isaac.

:9 the servant put his hand under Abraham’s thigh to swear

:10 the servant took ten camels and departed with all the goods in his hand and went to Mesopotamia unto the city of Nahor

:11 he made his camels to kneel down by the well of water at a time women go out to draw water

:12-14 he prayed for a sign that the woman who lets his camels drink also will be the woman God meant for Isaac and he (the servant) will know that God showed kindness unto his master Abraham.

The word kindness is the same ‘hesed’ or ‘chesed’ which means covenant loyalty.

The request of the servant serves double purpose. By giving water to the camels, it shows the woman is kind; and it shows that God is behind guiding him.

:15 Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

Abraham brother of Nahor (1st generation)
Nahor’s wife is Milcah
Their son is Bethuel (2nd generation)
His daughter is Rebekah (3rd generation)

Abraham’s and Sarah (1st generation)
Their son Isaac (2nd generation)

They have one generation age gap difference.

:16 she was very beautiful and filled her pitcher

:17 he makes his request for water

:18 she gave him drink

:19-20 and for the camels too

she was a profitable servant going above and beyond what she was required to do.

:21 his request to God was performed to the letter

:22 earring=nosering, a custom worth much

:23 he asked about the family

:24 I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bore unto Nahor

:25 she invited him to lodge in

:26-27 the servant bowed and worshiped the LORD.

:28 Rebekah told her family about what happened

:29 Rebekah had a brother, Laban, and he met Abraham’s servant

:30 when Laban saw the earring (nosering) and the bracelets upon Rebekah’s hands, and when he heard the words of her sister, he went to Abraham’s servant

:31 and invited him to his house and prepared a room for the camels too

:32 he shows his hospitality customs

:33 provided food also but the servant insisted not to eat before telling Laban his purpose

:34 I am Abraham’s servant

:35 and the LORD blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and blessed greatly with flocks and herds, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants and camels and asses

:36 and Sarah my master’s wife bore a son when she was old

:37 my master made me swear to not take a wife for his son from the daughters of the Canaanites

:38 but go to his (Abraham’s) kindred and take a wife for Isaac

:39 and God will send an angel

:40 just do it and you shall be clear of the oath even if she does not come with you

:42-48 he relates what happened that day from asking a sign from God to the signs actually happening to asking her from what family she came from to his worship to God

:49 he asked Laban the reply so he (the servant) would know what to do

:50 Laban and Bethuel recognized God’s hand

Pr. 19:14 a prudent wife is from the Lord

Gen. 24:51 and gave Rebekah to be wife of Isaac

:52 and Abraham’s servant worshiped the LORD bowing himself to the earth.

:53 the servant gave all the precious gifts to Rebekah, even to her mother and brother.

:54 they ate and drank and tarried all night and when morning came asked them to send him away to his master Abraham

:55 her brother and mother requested ten more days

:56 Hinder me not, seeing the LORD had prospered my way

:57 we will ask her herself

:58 and Rebekah agreed to go

:59 Rebekah and her nurse went with Abraham’s servant and his men

:60 “be you the mother of thousands of millions, and let your seed possess the gate of those which hate them.”

Gen. 17:16 same blessings speaking of Sarah

Gen. 24:61 and Rebekah departed

:62 Isaac came from the way of the well Lahai-roi; for he dwelt in the south country

:63 Isaac went out to meditatein the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and behold, the camels were coming.

:64 and Rebekah saw Isaac

:65 and asked who the man in the field was to which the servant replied it is Isaac therefore she took a veil and covered herself.

Veil is still a custom in many parts of the Arab world where the eyes are not to be seen by a man who is not her spouse.

:66 and the servant told Isaac everything

:67 and Isaac took her into Sarah’s tent; and they married, Isaac and Rebekah; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Gen. 25:1 Abraham took a wife, her name was Keturah

:2 and she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah (6)

:3 Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.

:4 the sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah.

:5 Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.

:6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.

:7 Abraham lived 175 years.

:8 Abraham died in a good old age, full of years; and was gathered to his people.

:9 Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Macpelah in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hitite, which is before Mamre

:10 the field Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth where Sarah was also buried

:11 God blessed Isaac and dwelt by the well of Lahai-roi

:12 the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bore unto Abraham:

:13-15 Nebajoth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, Kedemah

:16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.

:17 Ishmael died 137 years old.

:18 They (Ishmael’s family) dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, and go toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren.

:19 generations of Isaac

:20 Isaac was 40 when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

:21 Isaac entreated the LORD because she was barren; and she conceived

:22 the children struggled and she inquired of God, “If so, why thus?” (lf all is well, why am I like this? Why do I feel the struggle inside of me?)

:23 Two nations are in your womb, and two manner of people shall be separated, one will be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger.

Jacob is the progenitor of Israel

Esau is the progenitor of Edom

:24 she delivered twins

:25 the first came out red, hairy, his name Esau literally means hairy.

:26 his brother Jacob, held on Esau’s heel. Jacob means supplanter. Isaac was 60 when she bore the twins.

:27 the children grew; Esaw was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

:28 Isaac loved Esau because of the food he prepared but Rebekah loved Jacob.